Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team writes new chapter as F1’s biggest reset dawns

Raceteq learned plenty more about the first Aston Martin F1 car designed by Adrian Newey, and the first built at the AMR Technology Campus at Silverstone, United Kingdom. This is what we know about the AMR26 and Aston Martin Aramco’s new chapter.

This is the most significant overhaul that F1 has undergone in its history. New power units, aerodynamics, and a requirement for FIA-compliant 100% Advanced Sustainable Fuels present a rich opportunity for F1 engineers and designers in 2026, as they seek to extract as much performance as possible from the very start of the season.

For Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team, 2026 is a momentous occasion. It becomes a full works team with Honda power units, while it builds its own gearboxes in-house for the first time. This is a bespoke operation that gives the team the chance to package its engine and gearbox however it wants, rather than relying on previous supplier Mercedes’s engine and gearbox layout.

 

Aramco, meanwhile, uses its extensive experience in exploring energy opportunities to provide the FIA-compliant 100% Advanced Sustainable Fuel for the Honda power units, in the form of Proforce+¹. Aramco’s fuel is tailored to the Honda power units, offering even more potential for performance.

 

Valvoline, another mainstay of motorsport for more than 125 years, provides the lubricants that draw heat away from the car’s critical components and prevent parasitic friction in order to ensure reliability.

 

Newey ties the project together. The former Red Bull, McLaren and Williams designer - whose cars have won 12 F1 constructors’ championships and 14 drivers’ championships - led development of the AMR26 with chief technical officer Enrico Cardile and a host of accomplished engineers, mechanics and aerodynamicists.

 

Aston Martin Aramco used its AMR Technology Campus’s state-of-the-art manufacturing and design facilities, and brand-new simulator and windtunnel facilities, to build the car. 

 

This is a team aiming to compete at the very top of the F1 world championship. 

 

The 2026 Aston Martin Aramco car launch took place at Ithra, in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. This 80,000 square-metre architectural marvel showcases the Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage with four galleries, a cinema, the Knowledge Tower that hosts STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) events and a library with half a million items.

Ahmad O. Al-Khowaiter, Aramco EVP of Technology and Innovation, explained why this was a fitting setting for the AMR26 launch. 

“We’re here today at one of Aramco’s flagship organisations, the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture, also known as Ithra. Since opening in 2018, Ithra has been a catalyst for cultivating innovation, developing talent, expanding human potential, and empowering creativity. And that’s why it makes a natural fit to be the home of the launch of the Aston Martin Racing 2026 car,” he said.

“It embodies the partnership’s spirit to empower the next generation of problem-solvers, from engineers to innovators to athletes and creatives - and it also represents Aramco’s relentless drive to create industry-changing technologies and innovative new products that could help solve the world’s biggest challenges.”

The Aston Martin Aramco AMR26 has already made its on-track debut, its first laps of 2026 completed at the pre-season shakedown in Barcelona.

 

The team chose to launch its AMR26 livery at Ithra - a venue close to the Bahrain International Circuit and adjacent to Aramco’s headquarters in Saudi Arabia. 

 

Newey said that he took a “holistic” approach to designing the AMR26. Having previously remarked that the car’s predecessor, the AMR25, was “difficult to drive”, it seems that Newey is looking to give drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll an easier car in 2026.

He said: “2026 is a rare moment in Formula 1 because, for the first time, the chassis and power unit regulations have changed together. With brand-new regulations, the best philosophy is never immediately obvious, and your understanding evolves as the car develops. 

“With the AMR26 we’ve taken a holistic approach: it’s not about one standout component, but how the full package works together. 

“The focus has been on strong fundamentals, development potential, and a car that Lance and Fernando can hopefully extract performance from consistently.”

Newey's remarks also hint at Aston Martin Aramco’s expectations for the 2026 F1 season; the team wants to establish a solid foundation on which it can build in the coming years by scoring consistent points and making a name for itself at the midfield - perhaps at the very top of it.

Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team executive chairman Lawrence Stroll underlined the “defining step” that his team is taking, achieving full works status as a constructor of chassis, gearbox and customer of bespoke Honda engines. He laid forth the team’s long-term approach. 

“These regulations mark the biggest reset the sport has seen in a generation, and we are approaching it with clear ambition: to build a team capable of winning in the long term. 

“Every move we make is by design - considered, deliberate and built for where we are going. This year also marks our first season as a full works team, supported by our world-class partners, including Honda, Aramco and Valvoline. 

“With the AMR Technology Campus now complete, we have the people, facilities and long-term investment in place to compete with the very best. Today is another important milestone on that journey,” said Lawrence Stroll.

Aston Martin Aramco has a stable driver line-up in veteran drivers Fernando Alonso, a two-time F1 champion, and Lance Stroll. They return for their fourth-straight season as a driver pairing for the Silverstone team with a combined 614 F1 race starts.

 

“This is such an exciting new chapter for Aston Martin Aramco as we adapt to the new rules, new power units, and new ideas. With Lawrence and Adrian, we have two of the most determined and competitive people I have ever met leading the team,” said Alonso.

 

The Spaniard commented that his previous seasons at Aston Martin “were not easy” but he relishes the chance to be competing for a fully-fledged works team once again. 

 

“Everybody in this team shares the same hunger to be competitive, and I have seen how much effort is happening behind the scenes to give us a car we can develop across the season. 

 

“I’m looking forward to getting on track and developing the car as we head to Bahrain this week. I can’t wait to push hard and help make Aston Martin Aramco stronger and more competitive.”

 

Lance Stroll pointed out the momentous occasion of the AMR26 launch, having spent a year giving his feedback and time in the simulator to develop the car at the AMR Technology Campus. 

“The AMR26 is the first car to come out of our completed campus and the first as a works team with Honda, so it's a big moment for the team.

“The 2026 regulations are a big change and a real challenge for all teams, so now it’s about building our understanding of the car with the goal of continuing to bring performance upgrades throughout the season. 

“It’s great to be working with Adrian Newey and so many talented people at Aston Martin Aramco who are really pushing hard to make that happen. Next up is testing in Bahrain where we’ll be gathering as much information as possible ahead of the opening round in Melbourne. It should be an exciting year for the fans.”

There is a change in the roster as 2025 Formula 2 runner-up Jak Crawford is the team’s 2026 reserve driver, with Stoffel Vandoorne supporting the team’s simulator programme. Meanwhile, 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button joins as team ambassador alongside Jessica Hawkins and team representative Pedro de la Rosa.

The Aston Martin Aramco F1 Academy seat is Mathilda Paatz’s in 2026. The 17-year-old German driver joins from a regional Formula 4 series.

There are new rules in F1 this season. New intrigue. New teams. New drivers. And new excitement. Through it all, Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team’s new chapter weaves a bold and captivating thread.